Ronald (Ron) Garth Lougheed
1932 - 2022

With heavy hearts, the family of Ronald (Ron) Garth Lougheed wishes to announce his passing February 16, 2022, at the age of 89 years. He was a son, a brother, an uncle, a husband, a father, a grandfather and a truly great grandfather.

Left to mourn him are his wife and best friend of 69 years, Jean (nee McKellar), children Barb (Kerry) Baines, Rodney (Bev) Lougheed, and Rhonda (Brad) Paton, brother Bob (Mickey), sisters Lois McKellar, Marlene (Roy) Lequyer, Bette (Butch) Moffat and brothers-in-law Allan Spearing and George McKellar.

Papa will forever be missed by his grandchildren, their {spouses} and (great grandchildren): Chad {Alina} (Kady); Mardelle {Duane} (Raylie); Dustin {Angie} (Aidan), (Austin); Rachelle {Shaun} (Dominic), (Owen); Kristie {Klint} (Liam), (Lexi); Scott {Renee} (Victoria); Marcie {Craig} (Kirby), (Titus), (Ryan), (Bo), (Parker), as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Ron is predeceased by his son Cpl. Richard (Rick) Lougheed, grandson Trent Burnett and sisters Val Alelunas and Mavis Spearing.

Ron was the eldest son of farmer Elton and teacher Thelma. As legend has it, he was born breech on December 20, 1932, at the family farm in Brownlee, Saskatchewan. Fearing the worst, he was initially set aside. But Ron demonstrated he was a survivor and began “squawking” for his mom.

In 1940, the family moved to the Arcola-Kisbey area. Ron took the balance of his schooling at Clarilaw and Kisbey. It is here he met Jean McKellar. The two were married April 10, 1952. Together they raised four children whom he loved unconditionally.

Ron wore many hats over the years. Following several years of farming with his dad, Ron concluded it wasn’t for him because he “wanted to eat.” He then drove school bus for Augey Bus Co., fuel truck for Imperial Oil, and a crude oil truck for R.E. Line and eventually Nankivell Trucking. Ron then worked for the Village of Kisbey and did carpentry work alongside Jean’s older brother Jim and Ron Reed.

In 1977, Ron, Jean and their youngest, Rick, moved to Rocanville where Ron worked for Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan. For 19 years, Ron made the nearly 1000-metre journey down into the mine. The family took up camping at this time. Destinations included Carlton Trail, Asessippi and Brad and Rhonda’s farmyard, where a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs was always cooked for the kids.

Ron retired from the mine and he and Jean returned to Arcola in 1996. Contrary to what his licence plate said – Retired – no moss gathered under Ron’s feet. In the decades that followed, he kept his hands busy doing carpentry work, lending a hand on the farm, feeding the birds, gardening, mowing his lawn with surgical precision and plucking the last dessert(s) on the plate at every meal.

Ron and Jean travelled to Branson, Memphis, Nashville, Vancouver, Ottawa, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and enjoyed countless visits with family from the comforts of their living room, rocking in tandem and having the occasional quarrel like only best friends can. Years of noisy machinery took a toll on Papa’s hearing his last few years, but being the animated storyteller he was, he was always good for a laugh from the grandchildren and great grandchildren. He loved to tease and dished it out as good as he got.

Over the years, Ron lent his carpentry skills to numerous relatives, always helping where another pair of hands was needed. There are many fond memories horseback riding. Whether it was a cattle drive, Sunday ride, or one of many excursions in the Qu’Appelle Valley, Ron and his beloved horse Sheba always looked their best. There was never a hair out of place under his cowboy hat and her saddle was the softest in the fleet because he kept it well oiled.

In 2006, Ron gained a new best friend in Brodie, a beagle. The pair walked several miles every single day and Ron ensured Brodie was well groomed and well loved.

Ron liked things a certain way. His unwillingness to compromise could be both frustrating and endearing. Christmas lights should be hung from the centre out to ensure even overhang and photos and knick-knacks were to remain in the same place they were always displayed.

He was not the kind of man to shy away from a project, whether it was renovating their home in Kisbey or tweaking the wiring for his television set. He had one of the nicest lawns on the street and took it as a personal slight when elm seeds had the audacity to blow onto his property in what he not so affectionately called the “snowstorm”.

Ron’s favourite saying was “it’s never so bad that it couldn’t be worse.” Those sage words will echo on as we both mourn and celebrate him.

Anyone who had the privilege of visiting Ron at his home in Arcola in the later years, no doubt saw the relics of a life well lived. Ron was often found proudly in solitude in his yard chair nestled at the back of the garage, gazing out the patio door, solving the world’s problems.

Here he sat every day near his sticker-covered hard hat and some potash jars from the mine, the Lougheed family crest, his tools, Sheba’s tack, Brodie’s bed, Rick’s buck and the glowing embers of a Player’s King Size cigarette, like his life, savoured right down to the filter.

A Celebration of Ron’s life will take place at a later date.

Those so wishing may make donations to the Arcola Cemetery Beautification Committee, (c/o Town of Arcola) Box 359, Arcola, Sask., S0C 0G0 in memory of Ron.

Hall Funeral Services in Estevan provided care to Ron's family - Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.